New broadband laboratory to drive innovation in the digital economy

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Minister for Broadband, and the Digital Economy Stephen Conroy, today toured Victoria’s first Broadband Application Laboratory at the University of Melbourne.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Minister for Broadband, and the Digital Economy Stephen Conroy, today toured Victoria’s first Broadband Application Laboratory at the University of Melbourne.

The Australian Broadband Applications Laboratory (ABAL) has been established to assist businesses to develop broadband services.

ABAL, located at the University of Melbourne’s Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society (IBES), was officially announced by the Victorian State Minister for Technology Gordon Rich-Phillips on Tuesday 27 September.

ABAL provides a broadband network environment, allowing ideas to be transformed into programs and enabling companies to develop and test broadband innovative services and applications.

"ABAL provides industry and not-for-profits with expertise that assists them to harness technologies, develop new ideas and test them in a real-world environment before going to market" said Rod Tucker, ABAL Director

"ABAL provides a space for developing innovations that have the potential to impact on the whole economy".

Until now, the laboratory facilities at ABAL have assisted IBES researchers to test and develop broadband applications. The facilities are now available to a wide range of external organisations in different sectors, including health, education, retail, finance, manufacturing, mining and energy.

IBES acknowledges the ongoing support of the Victorian State Government, the University of Melbourne and Industry partners.